A SPLASH of paint could prove a lifesaver for local cyclists.
Swedish car giant Volvo has developed LifePaint a unique water-based reflective safety spray which can protect cyclists who may become vulnerable to road accidents during the dark winter days.
And this weekend their Highlands Road dealership in Solihull will be spraying the bike parts, bags and clothing of all cyclists who go along free of charge.
In 2013, there were 109 cyclists killed and an estimated 16,186 injured nationwide in motor vehicle traffic accidents and Volvo says with so many cyclists on the roads, the issue of night time and adverse weather visibility has never been more pressing.
Invisible in daylight, LifePaint glows brightly in the direct glare of car headlights, making cyclists highly visible to motorists.
LifePaint can also be used on other material such as clothes, shoes, helmets, pushchairs, children’s backpacks and even dog leads and collars.
It also washes off, and will not damage the colour or surface of your chosen material, lasting more than a month of normal usage.
The initiative has been welcomed by the cycle campaigning group the CTC.
“We welcome anything that keeps cyclists safe on the road and it’s great to see a motoring company acting to help more vulnerable road users,” said spokesman David Murray.
“However while we are for cyclists having lights at night the onus should not be on them to wear high visibility clothing but on drivers to be aware of all road users and to proceed with caution.”
He added that LifePaint would also be useful to walkers too as four times as many pedestrians were killed on British roads than cyclists and seven times as many motorists.
For anyone who can’t make it to Johnsons on Highlands Road the paint is available to buy from them at £10 a can. Call 0121 745 0700 for more details.
